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Frequently Asked Questions
If an applicant wishes to get physically assessed prior to their scheduled testing dates please email the Recruiting Unit at: email
A Recruiting Officer will contact you to schedule a date to test your ability to conduct the proper push-ups, sit-ups and vertical jump to be successful in passing our initial physical ability testing. After your assessment is completed the Recruiting Officer will offer suggestions for improvement if needed for the applicant.
Applicants are also encouraged to view the following links to help with physical fitness that the Austin Police Department promotes for its employees. This program utilizes high intensity training techniques and principals. Please visit our Twitter and Facebook pages to view these workouts.
No waivers are allowed at any time.
Austin police officers do not have residency requirements.
Two. The first visit is for the initial entrance test, obstacle course and oral board interview. The second trip is for polygraph, psychological, medical assessment and drug testing. See APD Hiring Process
The Austin Police pay schedule is one of the highest in the state of Texas and the nation. In addition, many officers increase their salary with pay incentives for specialties they obtain, such as bilingual pay, field training officer pay and crisis intervention officer pay. Officers also receive educational incentive pay, shift differential pay and military benefits, such as the G.I. Bill incentives earned for the first 11-12 months, if eligible.
You may apply as long as when the cadet class starts, you are still not attending school or on active status in the military in which you will be deployed. Most military commands will allow you to join the Police Department if your ETS date is within a few months of the start of the cadet class. If you are in the military reserves, please advise your command of your training schedule to see if they will work with you for attending drill while you are in our academy.
No. All applicants must have at least 30 hours of college credit from an accepted school at the time of application, unless they have 24 months of military service or two years as a police officer 120 days prior to the next scheduled academy.
This will depend on the time of the last usage of marijuana or drugs/narcotics. Please refer to our minimum requirements to review the list of disqualifiers. You will be required to take a drug test screening.
The Austin Police Department will review each discharge and make a decision on a case-by-case basis depending on the reason for discharge.
No one who was issued a dishonorable discharge, bad conduct or other characterization of bad character will be accepted.
No. Required documentation must be the original or a certified copy. However, if you bring the originals to the recruiting office, we will make certified copies and return your originals.
Yes. College credits or prior police service will not be required if you have served 24 months in the United States military (Active Reserve or National Guard) with an honorable discharge. A general discharge under honorable conditions is also acceptable but reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Yes. All documents must be submitted prior to being scheduled to test. If the applicant does not show up with all documentation required, they will not be allowed to test.
At this time we do not offer a lateral or modified cadet class. If the department decides to have one, it will be posted on our website.
Yes. Many officers supplement their income with overtime assignments from special events or patrol functions. Off-duty overtime is also available for many officers at different locations within the City. Probationary officers are not allowed to work off-duty overtime during the 15-month probationary period, but overtime is made available to them once they are off the field training program.
Yes. Interns that are interested in becoming police officers or pursuing careers in criminal justice are processed by the Recruiting Unit through the College Internship Program. For more information email Sherry McCarter or call (512) 974-4972.
No. Study guides are not offered by the Austin Police Department.
Officers may have tattoos. However, if the tattoos are offensive in nature, they must be covered up by clothing or arm bands.
Email the Recruiting Unit with your name and the reason for withdrawing. If you need to re-schedule the test date, please ask a recruiter to contact you by telephone or email. Please make sure to re-schedule within 15 days of your testing dates, or you will be subject to penalization.
You should apply approximately one year before the academy begins or one year prior to exiting the military or graduating college.
The hiring process takes approximately 6-12 months, depending on the start date of the academy.
The academy will last 32 weeks, and you will receive 1,280 hours of instruction.
The number of academies held each year depends on how many vacancies the department needs to fill. In the past, we have had 1-3 cadet classes per year.
The number of cadets hired will depend on the amount of vacancies the Police Department has. Past class sizes have ranged from 35 to over 100.
At this time, we are authorized at full strength of 1,669 police officers.
That will depend on the reason you were disqualified. The department has a set of regulations on the types of disqualifiers and times for re-application. You will receive a letter with a date notifying you when you are eligible to re-apply.
The Ride Out program is designed to give interested applicants a first hand view of what police work is like in Austin, Texas. Those who are interested in scheduling a ride out must have already turned in a Background History Statement and be scheduled for testing. Two weeks notice is required including a completed ride out form. For those who are from out of state and want to do a ride out before or after the test day, it is recommended that you add an additional one to two day stay to your schedule. Each ride out is a 10-hour shift during the daytime, evening time, or night time. You must be present for the full 10-hour shift. For additional information or questions about the ride out program, please contact Officer Christina Angeles.
To learn about the general job expectations of a police officer visit Police Officer Duties.
Applicants from out of state or outside a 250-mile radius of Austin will be required to visit Austin twice during the hiring process.
In Phase 1, you will be required to be in Austin for two days of initial testing. Day 1 will be the entrance and physical ability tests. Day 2 will be psychological testing and formal oral board interviews.
After the successful completion of your background investigation, you will be asked to return (within one to four months) for a three-day testing process. Phase 2 will consist of polygraph and psychological interviews, a medical screening and a drug test. If the applicant passes Phase 2, they will be placed on the eligibility list for hire in the next scheduled cadet class. See Hiring Process.
A suit or business attire will not be necessary until your Oral Board phase. However, you should dress appropriate to all interviews. The wearing of cut-off shirts, torn or faded clothing, gym attire, flip flops, sandals or shorts does not display the professional appearance we look for in our applicants.
New officers are assigned with a field training officer for 3-4 months of one-on-one training. You will be assigned to a patrol shift in one of nine sectors of the City. Your work schedule will be four 10-hour days, with three days off.
Honesty and integrity are important values found in Austin police officers. If you are found omitting important information or being deceptive, you will be permanently disqualified from the hiring process. You must successfully complete a background investigation and polygraph in order to continue in the hiring process.
Cadets do not live at the academy. The work hours will normally be Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cadets will have several training sessions during the academy and will work weekends and evenings, depending on what lesson plan or project they are assigned at that time.
